While I would agree that archives assistants often have excellent
qualifications and in many cases long experience in one office that may give
them greater knowledge of the collections than some archivists, in the local
authority sector at least any suggestion of salary recommendations has been
overtaken by the process of job evaluation. I believe this also operates in
HE.
In our own office the archive assistants were initially downgraded as a
result of the rather blunt instrument of the evaluation computer programme
that fails to take full account of such a varied job. However, they were
upgraded again on appeal when they were able to present evidence of the full
range of duties, responsibilities and knowledge required.

Liz Rees
Chief Archivist
Tyne & Wear Archives Service
Blandford House, Blandford Square, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 4JA
Tel (direct) 0191 277 2241; (switchboard) 0191 232 6789
Fax 0191 230 2614
E-mail [log in to unmask]
Website www.tyneandweararchives.org.uk

Become a fan of Tyne & Wear Archives Service
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Newcastle-Upon-Tyne-United-Kingdom/Tyne-Wear-A
rchives-Service/22644543768 



-----Original Message-----
From: Victoria Hoyle [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 11 September 2008 16:20
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Lets hear it for archive assistants


Jenny, 

Your message of support for archives assistants was very welcome! I am
always shocked by the low pay assistants can expect, despite the breadth and
responsibility of their role and the high expectations placed on their
performance. (I should mention at this point that I'm one of the lucky ones
- my salary is very generous compared to what I see elsewhere.)
Unfortunately I can't see the situation changing. As more and more arts
graduates flood the market, eager for work in a sector relevant to their
degree and willing to work for little pay, it will be tempting for archives
to keep wages low or even let them fall. At the same time employers will be
able to get more and more for their money - a wage that could once buy you a
candidate with A Levels can now get you a passionate history postgraduate
willing to take on more responsibility. 

Perhaps it would be helpful if the SoA provided graded payscale advice,
suggesting minimum wages for assistants depending on the responsibilities of
their role. This would allow for the variations between archives and,
perhaps, set a standard of pay to which repositories could aspire. 

Victoria Hoyle
Archives Assistant


The Borthwick Institute for Archives
The University of York
Heslington
York, YO10 5DD

Tel: (01904) 321166
Email: [log in to unmask]
Website: www.york.ac.uk/borthwick

 
-----Original Message-----
From: Archivists, conservators and records managers.
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Jenny Moran
Sent: 11 September 2008 15:06
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Lets hear it for archive assistants

Dear All,

Further to Vicky's posting yesterday, I wonder if we (as
professionals) should do more to support our para-professional staff who
often work on very low salaries and if so how we would address it? Archive
assistants in particular are often educated to degree level (I know of one
or two with postgraduate qualifications) and, over time, develop many of the
skills professional staff have. In many ways they are the backbone of
archive services - we certainly couldn't manage without them!

Some will, of course, go on to train as archivists and maybe a low salary
isn't too bad if you expect to go on to the dizzy heights of a professional
wage in due course. Many, however, will remain in low paid posts with no
progression or career development - is this inevitable? A few people have
indicated that the low salaries for unqualified posts act as a barrier to
people wishing to obtain pre- course experience and this must be especially
acute with rising levels of student debt. For the record, the Society of
Archivists does not set a minimum wage for unqualified posts and only a
minority of these posts are advertised in the professional press anyway.
Many, of course, only being advertised locally.

I'd be interested to hear views on whether we should try to address this
issue or even whether we regard it as an issue. If nothing else we could
perhaps have para-professional appreciation day.

Jenny

Jenny Moran
(posting in a personal capacity, not as SoA Secretary) 

*******************************************************
Important Information

This e-mail and its attachments may be confidential and are intended solely for the use of the individual to whom it is addressed. Any views or opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Gateshead Council.

If you are not the intended recipient of this e-mail and its attachments, you must take no action based upon them, nor must you copy or show them to anyone.

Communications by e-mail are not guaranteed to be private or secure.

Please contact the sender if you believe you have received this e-mail in error


*******************************************************